Steering-knuckle mounting



Sept. 14 1926.-

w. E. \{AN HORN STEERING KNUCKLE MOUNTING Filed March 1, 1926 avwenfo'o Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

.j 'UNITED STA p WALTER EVERETT VA -HORN, or 'oLARKsBURG, W'Esr vrnemia.

' STEERING-KNUCKLE MOUNTING.

-This invention relates to. a 1 steering knuckle mounting, adapted to be used on automobiles andthelike for connecting the knuckle to the front axle tree. 1 I

In the usual automobile construction, the steering knuckle, which is made integral -with the wheel spindle, is mounted on a vertical bolt or spindle, and is oscillatable about a vertical axis in the end of the axle tree which it supports. When this vertical spindle orits bearing becomes worm/the worn parts must be entirely replaced in order to prevent the wheel from w'abbling. Thisentails a great deal of expense, and a considerable amount of labor.

:The general object of thepresentinvention is to provide an improved mounting .for the knuckle, which is so constructed that in proper position by the collar 14 at the p it may, with a minimum amount of labor, be quickly adjusted to compensate for wear withoutreplacing any of the parts.

The details of the construction by which this object is attained, and the manner of adjusting the same,will be fully explained 'inconnection withthe accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention. i

In the drawing! Figure 1 is a front elevation of a steering knuckle with the invention embodied ther m. p j j Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of same. a I Y Y Figure 3 is a detail horizontal section on the ' the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail horizontal section on the line 4& of Figure 2, looking upward.

The invention is shown in connection with the front axle tree 5,'formed with upper and lower arms 6 and 7, respectively. The upper arm 6 rests'upon' roller bearingsS which support most of the weight. The roller bearings are mounted in the upper end of a steering knuckle 9, which is formed with a laterally projecting wheel spindle 10. The knuckle 9 is formed with a bore 11, which is upwardly tapered throughout its length, and which receives the upper portion of a vertical spindle 12. The spindle 12 is tapered in opposite directions from its middle to its ends, and the lower portion of the spindle is mounted in a bushing 13. The inner surface of this bushing is tapered to correspond with the spindle12, but its outer surface is substantially cylindrical,

and is received in a vertical'bore formed in against which it seats. polygonal in shape, and thebushing13 is [13 becomes locked in the I it is adjusted.

the usual ,manner.

Application filed March 1, 1926,. Serial No. 91,462.

thearm 7. The bushing 13 isjf ormed with threads at eachv end, and its upper 'end is adapted to. receive a threaded collar 14, Which is flattened at one side, and is seated against a shoulder. 15. 'formed on the arm 7,"softhat thecollar isheldagainst rotation. The'threaded lower end oft he bushing 13 receives'a nut 16, which also forms a cap,

covering the lower end of the bushing and the tapered spindle. Two washers 17 and ;18, respectively, are interposed between the cap 16 and the lower surface of the arm- 7 The washer17 is formed with akeyway 19, which receives a lug .20 projecting inwardly from the washer. I

Normally, when the bushing 13 is secured upper end-and the cap 16 at the lower end,

against rotation. l Vhen; assembling the jparts, the bushing 13 may bescrewed into thecollar 14; by means of a wrenchapplied' tothe washer 17, the latter being at this time: free from the shoulder 21. Assoon as the cap 116 is put on, however, the washer 17 is forced against its seat, and the bushing positionto which The spindle 17 may be provided .with Oll groove-22,-and the knuckle 9 is formed with a horizontal bore 23 toreceive an arm which projects rearwardly, and is connected at the other side in Y tothe, steering knuckle The spindle 1'2Zmay turn either; in the knuckle .9, or'in the bushing 13. If the spindle- 12 or its'bearings become worn so that, the steering knuckle has toomuch play,

all that it is necessary to do in order to compensate for the wear is to adjust the bushing 13. vertically. This may be done in just a few moments. The cap 19 needs to be unscrewed only far enough to. permit the washer 17. to drop below the" shoulder 21. .A wrench maythen be applied to the washer, and the bushing 13 may be turned as much asis necessary to" draw it up until there is no more playinthe knuckle. It is not necessary to replace any of the parts.-

By taking up the bushing slightly from time to time, theknuckle may always be held without any play. and theiltnuckle and parts associated therewith willlast as long as the life of the automobile.

\Vhile L have shown and described in-odetail one embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that the same mayr be IIlQClifiBdftO adapt it to various makes of automobiles without any material E departure" :from the i salient features of the invention as expressed in the claims.

that is volaiined isz 1. Ina device of the character' described,

-=the-co1nbination with a spindletapered from an intermediate pointtoward each endy of z -a-knuckle having a-t'a-pered bore receiving one ,end er said gspind-le, a supporting member includinga bushing having a tapered #bore receiving-the other end of said-spindle, a collar threaded -on one end o f the -bushing,-1neans tor -seatingthe collar and v an intermediate point toward each end,=of

,aalrnuckle :having. attapered member receiving .one end a of ssaid spindle, bushing .having a itaperedr' bore 1 receiving the other end of said. spindle; a :collar :threaded on: one end X of; :the bushing," means; for seating "the :collaruand'hO ldinga it against rotation, a washer keyedto said bushing and pbly'gona'l .in lshapelsoithat it is:adapted -to"-receive-a awrenoh lioiwadjus'ting the bushing :l'on'gitu din'a'll-yaa shoulder against which. one lend- 0f the-masher be-seated :to lock the washer and bushingxwhen :the latter illZLS" received the desired: adjustment,: and a nut threaded on the bushing to hold the washeragainst its seat, but rotatable to release the washer so that the bushing mayibe'. adjusted.

a Ina device of the chara'cter described, the combination .witham axle tree 'terminat ring [in anupp-erand alower arm,;ot a member supported by said lowerzarm-andhav- 'ing .a-vertical :downwardly tapered bore, a spindle having: a downwardlyr tapered end seated 'in said-bore, the other 1 end or I the spindle "being upwardly! 1tapered, a steering knuckle havingnan upwardly tapered bore receiving said upward-1y tapered end, and

means for decreasing the distance between theknuckleandathe -membersupported by the lower arm to compensate for wear be- :tween :them 'and said spindle.

' 4:. In a device of the character described, the lcombination with an axle tree terminating in an upper and a lower arm, ofa veritic ally dis-posed bushing supp'o'rt'ed said lower arm and having-a downwardly itap'cred bore; a spindle having a downwardly bush'in-gainithecollar to adjust it toward or away from? the l-:nuc1lrle",=.andi'nreans "for look- ;ing thebushinginits adjusted position;

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with an ELX'l treeterminatring sin. an upper and lower arm, ol 1 a veristically disposed bushing supported by said lower arm: and havingza downwardly tapered bore; a spindlezhaving a 1 downwardly tapered end seated I inf-said bore, the other end fOiE the spindle being upwardly "ta-- "pereda a steeringxknucklehaving anupward ,l-y :tapered 1 bore receiving 1 said upwardly tapered send; a'collar threaded :on the upper end of the:bushin-g,:means on said lower arm for seating the collar and holding-it against rotation, a washer keyed to thelowerrend of ;;the bushing and polygonal in shapesd that it: :is 1" adapted to receive k a wrench FfOIHfifiljusting the bushing vertically, a shoulder :torm-ed on the \lower sidei ot-the 'j lower arm against which one edge of the washermay be seated to lock the {washer and zbusliing when the latter has receivedthe-desiredadjustment, andaawnut threadedwon the lower end/of the bushing wto hold the washer against its" seat, 'butvrotatable' to release the washer so thatthe bushing may beusted.

! In testimony, ,that I claim the foregoing as my '0\Vl1, 1 have hereto :atlixed my sign ature. v I

WVi tL-ilIilRsEVER'ETT VAN HORN. 

